Course Outline Form: Fall 2015
General Information
Course Title: ENVS*4001/4002 Project in Environmental Sciences
Course Description: This capstone course for the Environmental Sciences program will consist
of two components: 1. A group research project - The main purpose of this project course is to
have students conduct a group project, for an external client, that focuses on a current
environmental issue and provides the opportunity to obtain realistic research experience within
an interdisciplinary environmental science context involving natural, physical, and social science
elements. 2. Periodic seminars/discussions - Seminars, which may include guest lectures, are
offered throughout both semesters on an irregular basis and will focus on developing students’
professional skills. These workshops will focus on topics such as and not exclusive to group
dynamics, poster design, and research methods and tools, and are designed to assist your
group’s project delivery.
Credit Weight: 1.00
Academic Department (or campus): School of Environmental Sciences
Campus: Guelph
Semester Offering: F and W (must be completed consecutively)
Class Schedule and Location: Tuesday, 7:00pm-9:50pm, MINS 300
Instructor Information
Instructor Name: Dr. Shelley Hunt and Dr. Neil Rooney
Instructor Email: shunt@uoguelph.ca and nrooney@uoguelph.ca
Office location and office hours: Dr. Hunt - Rm. 220 Alexander Hall
Dr. Rooney – Rm. 2107 E.C. Bovey Building
Office Hours by appointment.
GTA Information
GTA Name:
GTA Email:
GTA office location and office hours:
Course Content
Specific Learning Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this two-semester series of courses will achieve the
following Learning Outcomes (LO):




Identify and analyze a real-world environmental problem for a client in the
environmental sector (LO1)
Apply effective communication skills (orally, in writing and graphically) to determine, in
collaboration with the client, the terms of reference of their group’s project, and later to
present the results (LO2)
Create a plan for concrete action towards addressing their assigned problem (LO3)
Execute their plan, which may consist of any or all of the following:
o Analysing existing environmental data (LO4)
o Collecting new data (LO5)
o Analysing and synthesizing information (scientific and government literature
expert opinion) (LO6)



Apply and hone specific discipline-related skills learned in previous courses (e.g. GIS,
specialized statistics, economic analyses) the nature of which will depend on the
individual project (LO7)
Recommend further action to the client towards solving the environmental problem
(LO8)
Collaborate effectively with their group members (LO9)
Lecture Content:
Not applicable.
Labs:
This course has one 3-hour lab per week, which is primarily used for group project work time
and project consultation with the instructors. Formal course material delivered during the lab
period will include guest lectures on careers and research in the environmental sciences, as well
as technical material such as poster design and report writing.
Seminars:
Not applicable.
Course Assignments and Tests:
Assignment or Test
Due Date
Annotated bibliography
Work plan
Friday, October 9th
Wednesday, October 21st
(to client); Friday, October
30 (to instructor)
Friday, December 4th
Friday, March 25th
Proposal
Public presentation
(poster)
Final Report
Peer evaluation
Contribution to
Final Mark (%)
5
5
Learning Outcomes
Assessed
LO2, LO6, LO8
LO1, LO2, LO3, LO9
15
15
LO1, LO2, LO3, LO9
LO2, LO8
Friday, April 1st
50
Friday, April 8th
10
LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4,
LO5, LO6, LO7, LO8,
LO9
LO9
Additional Notes (if required):
None.
Final examination date and time:
Not applicable.
Final exam weighting:
Not applicable.
Course Resources
Required Texts:
None.
Recommended Texts:
None.
Lab Manual:
None.
Other Resources:
Course material will be available through D2L.
Field Trips:
None.
Additional Costs:
None.
Course Policies
Grading Policies:
Assignments must be submitted via Dropbox on D2L before midnight on the due date. Poster
assignments will be due during the appropriate lab period or otherwise as assigned. All late
assignments will receive a 10% deduction for each day, or part thereof, that they are late.
Course Policy on Group Work:
Group work is mandatory in this course.
Course Policy regarding use of electronic devices and recording of lectures:
Electronic recording of classes is expressly forbidden without consent of the instructor. When
recordings are permitted they are solely for the use of the authorized student and may not be
reproduced, or transmitted to others, without the express written consent of the instructor.
University Policies
Academic Consideration:
The University of Guelph is committed to supporting students in their learning experiences and
responding to their individual needs and is aware that a variety of situations or events beyond
the student's control may affect academic performance. Support is provided to accommodate
academic needs in the face of personal difficulties or unforeseen events in the form of
Academic Consideration.
Information on regulations and procedures for Academic Consideration, Appeals and Petitions,
including categories, grounds, timelines and appeals can be found in Section VIII
(Undergraduate Degree Regulations and Procedures) of the Undergraduate Calendar.
Academic Misconduct:
The University of Guelph is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity
and it is the responsibility of all members of the University community, faculty, staff, and
students to be aware of what constitutes academic misconduct and to do as much as possible
to prevent academic offences from occurring.
University of Guelph students have the responsibility of abiding by the University's policy on
academic misconduct regardless of their location of study; faculty, staff and students have the
responsibility of supporting an environment that discourages misconduct. Students need to
remain aware that instructors have access to and the right to use electronic and other means of
detection. Please note: Whether or not a student intended to commit academic misconduct is
not relevant for a finding of guilt. Hurried or careless submission of assignments does not
excuse students from responsibility for verifying the academic integrity of their work before
submitting it. Students who are in any doubt as to whether an action on their part could be
construed as an academic offence should consult with a faculty member or faculty advisor.
Detailed information regarding the Academic Misconduct policy is available in Section VIII
(Undergraduate Degree Regulations and Procedures) of the Undergraduate Calendar.
Accessibility:
The University of Guelph is committed to creating a barrier-free environment. Providing
services for students is a shared responsibility among students, faculty and administrators. This
relationship is based on respect of individual rights, the dignity of the individual and the
University community's shared commitment to an open and supportive learning environment.
Students requiring service or accommodation, whether due to an identified, ongoing disability
or a short-term disability should contact the Student Accessibility Services (SAS), formerly
Centre for Students with Disabilities (CSD), as soon as possible.
For more information, contact SAS at 519-824-4120 ext. 56208 or email sas@uoguelph.ca or
visit the Student Accessibility Services website (http://www.uoguelph.ca/csd/).
Course Evaluation Information:
End of semester course and instructor evaluations provide students the opportunity to have
their comments and opinions used as an important component in the Faculty Tenure and
Promotion process, and as valuable feedback to help instructors enhance the quality of their
teaching effectiveness and course delivery.
While many course evaluations are conducted in class others are now conducted online. Please
refer to the Course and Instructor Evaluation Website for more information.
Drop period:
The drop period for single semester courses starts at the beginning of the add period and
extends to the Fortieth (40th) class day of the current semester (the last date to drop a single
semester courses without academic penalty) which is listed in Section III (Schedule of Dates) of
the Undergraduate Calendar.
The drop period for two semester courses starts at the beginning of the add period in the first
semester and extends to the last day of the add period in the second semester.
Information about Dropping Courses can be found in Section VIII (Undergraduate Degree
Regulations and Procedures) of the Undergraduate Calendar.